Record revenue from parking fees helps put Melbourne City Council in the black

OBEDIENT motorists putting coins in parking meters have driven up the city council’s parking fees revenue to a record $50 million a year. But there is some good news for drivers.

Bec Gist feeds a parking meter in Melbourne’s CBD. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

OBEDIENT motorists putting coins in parking meters have driven up the city council’s parking fees revenue to a record $50 million a year — or about $1 million a week.

New City of Melbourne figures show the money collected from parking exceeded budget forecast by 8.2 per cent to total $49.9 million.

But there is some good news for motorists.

FINES GO WILD AT THE ZOO

MOTORISTS’ CRAZY EXCUSES

CONSTRUCTION BOOM DELIVERS WINDFALL

The jump in parking fee revenue was offset by a drop in fines because fewer tickets were issued, taking $3.8 million off Town Hall’s bottom line.

The most lucrative strips for fee collection are on Lonsdale St between Queen and William streets, and Queen St between Lonsdale and Bourke.

Both sections have central parking which increases the number of spaces.

Council spokeswoman Kathy Alys said driver using the PayStay phone app were alerted when they were close to their parking limits.

More money is being put into parking meters.

“(It) is helping people to be more compliant. There is a correlation between increasing compliance by the public and the number of parking fines being issued,’’ she said.

Motorists can pay more than $5 an hour for parks in the CBD.

Melbourne CBD resident Bec Gist, 25, said parking in the city was expensive.

“I live in the city and when people come to visit it can be tricky and costly,’’ she said.

Increased fee revenue was also a result of fewer meters being removed for works across central Melbourne.

“We expected to lose approximately 300 parking meter spaces due to tram stop platform works, landscaping works and the Melbourne Metro Rail project,’’ Ms Alys said. “However, these works began later in the financial year that we anticipated, so these 300 spaces remained in use for longer, resulting in greater than expected revenue for 2016-17.’’

The bays have now been removed for the works.

Bec Gist feeds a parking meter in Melbourne’s CBD. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

More money from parking fees has meant fewer fines.

The council also received about $2.4 million in fees because of the building boom around central Melbourne.

Construction companies and developers pay fees when they close roads and footpaths disrupting pedestrian and vehicle traffic.

The Town Hall financial performance report also showed voters who failed to send their postal ballots for last October’s election led to the council receiving $610,112 in fines. More than 24,000 infringement notices were sent.

The data also revealed that cash from development contributions bumped revenue above budget by an extra $10.2 million.

Overall the council was $13 million in surplus, $900,000 above forecast.

Councillors will sign off on the finance report on Tuesday night.

THE FIVE STREETS OF GOLD

1. Lonsdale St

2 Queen St

3 Collins St

4 Bourke St

5 Exhibition St

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@IanRoyall